Trapasso new head coach of UH baseball program
| • | Players seem receptive to new coach |
| • | Ferd Lewis: An ability to recruit, rebuild, relate |
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer
Pledging to "roll up my sleeves and get to work right away," Georgia Tech assistant coach Mike Trapasso yesterday accepted the challenge of turning around the fortunes of the University of Hawai'i baseball program and immediately began packing for the trip here.
Georgia Tech photo
Trapasso, 37, will be introduced at a Rainbow Stadium press conference tomorrow, following the retired Les Murakami as only the second Division I head coach in UH baseball history.
Mike Trapasso gets the job instead of ASU's Pat Murphy.
Although terms of the agreement were not announced, pending Board of Regents approval, it is likely Trapasso will receive a three-year deal because board policy limits longer contracts to only those with head coaching experience. His salary is believed to be in the $110,000-$120,000 range, plus incentives.
Trapasso accepted the job last night after school officials said they withdrew an offer to Arizona State head coach Pat Murphy, who didn't meet an afternoon deadline for accepting a contract. Murphy, who had been considering a UH offer since February, accepted a vastly upgraded contract in excess of $275,000 to remain at ASU, the school will announce today. It will give him one of the three richest college baseball contracts, according to people in the industry.
"It wasn't an easy decision," Murphy said. "It wasn't anything Hawai'i didn't do. I always dreamed about coaching in Hawai'i but Arizona State just made my situation so hard for me to leave."
Murphy, who nearly hired Trapasso as an assistant several years ago, said, "(Trapasso) is a tremendous young coach who will do twice the job I would have. He deserves the shot."
| Michael John "Mike" Trapasso file | |
| • | Age: 37. |
| • | Last position: Assistant coach (pitching) and recruiting coordinator, Georgia Tech (1994-2001) |
| • | Previous positions: Assistant South Florida (1991-'94). Assistant Missouri (1989-'91). |
| • | College playing experience: Oklahoma State, 1984-'85. |
| • | Team USA, 1983. |
| • | Professional playing experience: Pitcher in St. Louis Cardinals (1987) and Atlanta Braves (1985-'86) organizations. |
| • | Education: BA, Business administration & marketing (Oklahoma State). MA, Health education (Missouri). |
| • | Family: Wife, two sons. |
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Baseball America ranked Trapasso the top head coaching candidate in college baseball this year because of his recruiting success and ability to produce pitchers for the pros.
Collegiate Baseball has ranked Georgia Tech's last six recruiting classes in the top 20 nationally and Trapasso has sent 18 pitchers to the pros. Nineteen of 26 players on this year's Georgia Tech team made the school's academic dean's list.
"I'm crying (about losing Trapasso), there's no doubt about that," said Georgia Tech head coach Danny Hall. "My life's about to change without having Mike around. I told my wife she'd better cry, too, because she's going to be seeing a lot less of me now."
Trapasso said, "I feel fortunate to work with a program in the tradition that Les Murakami has built up and to follow in his footsteps is an incredible opportunity. Obviously, the facilities are very good and so is the drawing power of the Islands. It is the total package and Hugh Yoshida and the administration are willing to support the program and see it to success."
"I think he is going to be a very good fit for us," Yoshida said. "He comes with a lot of credentials."
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"I think we got a great young coach," said Jim Donovan, UH associate athletic director. "In college baseball it is pitching, pitching, pitching and at Georgia Tech he's shown he can coach that."
Pat Murphy couldn't refuse ASU's offer.
Don Robbs, a member of the screening committee, said, "He is a man on a mission . . . a future star."
UH officials said they hope to arrange a meeting between Murakami and Trapasso tomorrow. KCCN radio (1420) announced it will make the new coach available to the public on a special "Meet the Coach" call-in radio show tomorrow night from 6:30-7:30 at Murphy's Bar & Grill.
Trapasso said he plans to interview candidates for two assistant coaching positions and hopes to hire at least one with local ties. He will also hire a director of baseball operations.
At UH, Trapasso inherits a program that advanced to seven NCAA regionals in 10 years until 1993 but hasn't qualified since. With only one winning season in the Western Athletic Conference since1993, turnstile attendance has dropped to an average of barely 1,000 per game and the program has become a financial drain on the athletic department's 19-sport, $16 million budget.
Gary Ward, who coached Trapasso at Oklahoma State, said, "Mike will be very good for the program there in Hawai'i. He's a marvelous choice."
